Strike action could see St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School close for six days

Sam Cooper

Teachers at St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School could take six days of strike action next month in a row over “leadership and management issues.”

The Featherstone school will be closed on Tuesday, November 3 due to a strike by members of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), the National Union of Teachers and Unison.

The unions are also planning five days of further strikes in November.

Celia Foote, national executive member for the NASUWT, said: “The strike revolves around issues with leadership and management at the school.

“Some of those issues have been resolved but there are still some outstanding issues.

“Unfortunately, the strikes would impact on the students which is why we are doing our utmost to sort the issues with management.”

The strike announcement comes just weeks after headteacher David Lewis asked to be released from his contract.

A statement on the school’s website said: “The Bishop Konstant Academy Trust and Academy Council of St Wilfrid’s would like to inform parents and carers that for family reasons Mr David Lewis has asked to be released from his contract by Academy Council and will be leaving St Wilfrid’s with immediate effect.”

The school said Helen Gilroy will act as headteacher until a permanent appointment is made.

Christine Green, chairwoman of the school’s academy council, said: “St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School can confirm that union strike action at the school is planned for Tuesday, November 3. The Academy Council and the trust are in discussion with the unions and ACAS working towards a mutually satisfactory conclusion to the issues raised. We cannot comment further.”

Further strikes are planned for November 10, 11, 17, 18 and 19.

Parents of pupils at the school called for an emergency meeting with acting headteacher Helen Gilroy following the announcement of strike action.

A parent of a year-11 pupil, who asked not to be named, said: “The lack of information that is being given by the school is very concerning.

“There has been a lack of information, a lack of notice and we, as parents, feel that we should be part of all of the discussions for the sake of the children’s education.

“My child is in year-11 and preparing for his GCSE exams next year and this is all very disruptive to his education.

“We want a meeting with the acting headteacher about what on earth has been going at the moment.”